Fruit-picker&#39;s ladder.



0. LANCE.

FRUIT PIGKER'S LADDER.

APPLICATION mum JUNE 1a, 1913.

Patented June 30,1914,

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COLUMIIA PLANOGIAH CO" unm- D- G Q. LANGE. FRUIT PIGKEWS LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13,1913.

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Patented June 30,1914,

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OLIVER LANCE, OF RODEO, CALIFORNIA.

FRUIT-PICKERS LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 13, 1913.

Patented June 30, 1914.

Serial No. 773,518.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OLIVER LANCE, a citizenof the United States, residing at Rodeo, in the county of Contra Costaand State 0t California, have invented new and useful improvements inFruit-Pickers Ladde s, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has relation to ladders used by fruit gatherersand embodying a chute or like means for directing the fruit into areceptacle conveniently placed upon the ground for receiving the fruitas the same is picked.

he present invention aims to combine with a ladder means for receivingthe fruit at different intervals and directing such fruit into anassorter by means of which the choice fruit is delivered into onereceptacle and the inferior or small fruit is delivered nto anotherreceptacle, the assorting being automatically effected.

he invention further contemplates an endless conveyer and a tubetherefor, such conveyer extending from the top of the ladder to thebottom thereof and being automatically operated by the weight of thefruit, the tube receiving an endless conve ver and having guarded inletsat different points in its length to facilitate the delivery of thefruit as picked to the conveyer by means of which it is directed to thepredetermined point of discharge.

A further purpose of the invention the provision of an assorting devicewhich arranged to receive the fruit from the conveyer and direct thesame into different. rcceptacles according to the of the fruit, thelatter being automatically separated.

T invention consists of the novel features, details of construction andcombinatit-n of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly setforth. illustrated in the a cco-mpanying drawings, and pointed out inthe appended claim. I

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the specification, Figure 1is a perspective view showing the application of the invenlion. Fig. 2is a side view of the ladder and attachment, the parts being in section.Fig. 3 is a front view. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line ac -xof Fig. 3. Fig. is a horizontal section on the line yz of Fig. 3.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the samereference characters.

The numeral 1 designates the ladder which may be of any variety andwhich for convenience is shown provided with a leg or prop 2 whereby theladder is rendered self-supporting after the manner of the usualstep-ladder. An endless conveyer 3 is mounted upon the ladder 1 andpasses around upper and lower guide pulleys. The endless conveyer may beof any construction and usually consists of a belt provided with flightsor cleats which are adapted to receive the fruit. The endless conveyeris arranged with the steps or runs of the ladder between the parts orruns thereof as indicated most clearly in Fig. The endless conveyer isarranged to operate with its outer portion moving upwardly and its innerportion traveling downwardly. A tube a incloses the endless conveyer andforms a casing or housing therefor. The rear por tion of the tube orcasing 4 is provided at intervals in its length with openings 5 forreception of the fruit such openings being protected by means of cups orguards 6 which are adapted to receive the fruit and direct the samethrough the openings 5 into the tube. The tube 4 may be of sheet metalor other desired material.

An asserting device is located near the foot of the ladder and comprisesan upper member 7 and a lower member 8, such members being oppositelyinclined and arranged to discharge the fruit into receptacles 9 and 10.The two members 7 and 8 are connected throughout their length by meansof a part 11 which is hollow and has its longitudinal walls spaced sothat the smallest fruit will pass from the member 7 into the member 8 ofthe assorter and discharge into the re ceptacle 2.0. The larger fruitwill pass through the member 7 and discharge at the left-hand end intothe receptacle 9. The ube 12 is provided at its lower end with a lateralextension 12 which communicates with the righhhand or receiving end ofthe member 7 thereby causing all the fruit to be discharged into theupper right-hand end of the assorter. The fruit in its travel throughthe member '7 of the assorter is separated, the smaller fruit droppingthrough the passage 11 into the member 8 and passing therein to theright and dropping into the receptacle 10. The larger or choice thesame.

fruit passes through the member 7 and discharges from the left-hand endthereof into the receptacle 9.

By having the tube 4 provided at intervals in its length with receivingopenings 5, the picker may conveniently deliver the fruit to theconveyer as picked, the fruit being received upon the flights or cleatsof the conveyer and automatically operating WVhen the fruit reaches thelower end of the tube 4 it passes laterally through the discharge 12 andis delivered into the assorter which separates the fruit automaticallyso as to deliver the large fruit into the receptacle 9 and the smallerfruit into the t= ings, the advantages of the construction and of themethod of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artto which the invention appertains, and whileI have described theprinciple of the operation of the invention, together with the devicewhich I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to haveit understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and thatsuch changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of theclaim appended hereto.

I claim An assorting device for the purposes specified comprisingoppositely inclined tubes arranged one above the other and having theiropposing sides longitudinally slotted, and parallel walls connectingsuch tubes and arranged in the plane of the respective edges borderingupon the slot thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OLIVER LANCE. Witnesses:

JOHN SzARKoE, K. E. EDWARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

